


A Tragic Case

by LadyNorbert



Category: Beetlejuice (1988)
Genre: Gen, Gift Fic, Post-Canon, Psychologists & Psychiatrists, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-20 01:27:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11325810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNorbert/pseuds/LadyNorbert
Summary: After the events of the film, Lydia is sent to a psychiatric ward, where they try to rid her of her "delusions." Her doctor thinks if he can just get her to say the name of the entity she's talking about, he can prove that it doesn't really exist...





	A Tragic Case

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JoyCrux](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoyCrux/gifts).



> This is for JoyCrux, one of the winners of the Christmastime contest on deviantArt for the Beetle Babes group. Among her prizes, she chose to receive a fic from me, which I am finally providing! This was the scenario she requested. I hope you like it!
> 
> Doctors Burton and Baldwin do of course get their names from Tim Burton and Alec Baldwin. Because I am endlessly creative. The mention of Sanduleak among the stars is a nod to "Say It Thrice" by my friend BookwormGal.

_From the notes of Dr. Burton, head of psychiatry, Winter River Institution._

Patient LD is a fascinating case. By all outward appearances a normal, healthy young woman. Meticulously neat in her appearance; polite; eats well. Carers report no behavioral problems, beyond an insistence in believing her story.

Her parents visit once a week. Strange couple. LD insists mother is actually her stepmother; father consistently refers to her as LD's mother, however. He evinces no recollection of a previous spouse. LD may actually be correct; when queried, "mother" stated that she and father met seven years ago. LD would have been ten years old at the time, thus proving that at least one of these two cannot be her biological parent. She bears no physical resemblance to either, which could suggest she is adopted, but has no difficulty acknowledging father.

Interview with parents does reveal traumatic incident in recent past, although details as reported by parents are inconsistent both with LD and with each other. LD's primary insistence is that an unidentified individual took over their household temporarily and, among other things, attempted to marry her. Both parents deny the existence of such an individual. Mother, or stepmother, states that the crisis point was an ill-fated dinner party which resulted in them losing contact with several members of their social circle; however, when pressed for further details, seems vague and somewhat confused. Father twitches and says everything is fine.

LD actually appears the most rational of the three at times. Most peculiar.

* * *

Small breakthrough today with LD.

LD maintains that unidentified individual who tried to force marriage is supernatural, possibly poltergeist. She seems unsure on this point; most unusual, as delusional patients normally cling to details of delusions without variance or allowance for error. LD refuses to speak entity's name, claiming that to do so will summon him.

Today's breakthrough was realization that LD does not refuse to call entity out of fear. She is genuinely unafraid of him. However, she does not trust him. Maintains he will wreak havoc if summoned.

> **Q:** You're not afraid of him. Why?
> 
> **A:** He would do many things, but he would never hurt me.
> 
> **Q:** Then why not call him and prove that he exists?
> 
> **A:** Because I can't promise that he wouldn't hurt anyone else. I can't control him, only summon him or banish him.

* * *

LD had to be sedated today. One of my assistants agitated her to the point of distress. Formal reprimand will be drafted.

* * *

LD in better shape today. Willing to discuss entity.

> **Q:** What sort of things does he do?
> 
> **A:** It partly depends on his mood, and on what he's been contracted to do.
> 
> **Q:** Contracted?
> 
> **A:** He makes deals. He does what you want, for a price.
> 
> **Q:** So when you almost married him, was that a price?
> 
> **A:** Yes. He saved some friends of mine and that was the price.
> 
> **Q:** You agreed to it?
> 
> **A:** Yes.

She seemed confused on this point. Does not seem to have previously occurred to her that she failed to live up to her side of a contract. When she speaks I am almost convinced of her delusions; she seems so rational in her insistence.

* * *

LD slipped today; most interesting. Entity is implied to share name with an individual star. Will begin researching astronomical terms. Have already determined that Polaris is not it.

* * *

Have compiled names of forty-seven stars. Will recite them systematically and see if LD reacts.

* * *

Dr. Burton wasn't a cruel man, but he didn't know when to stop. "Cebalrai," he offered. Lydia gave him a confused look. "Avior. Bellatrix. Electra. Cursa. Deneb. Sanduleak."

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Edasich. Diphda."

"I don't... I don't understand what you're..."

"Diadem. Cursa. Betelgeuse."

She froze. He saw it.

"Betelgeuse?"

"Don't say it again!"

"See, Lydia, if I say it a third time you'll realize that this entity simply doesn't exist."

"If you say it a third time you're going to be sorry."

"Betelgeuse."

She cringed, covering her face with both hands. Dr. Burton looked around the room, then spread his arms expansively. "See? Nothing."

"Nothing," said a new voice. "Is that what you call it?"

"I tried to warn you," said Lydia.

The doctor turned around slowly, and almost jumped out of his skin at the sight of the wild-haired specter. He wore a grungy striped suit and a smile such as was the stuff of nightmares. Tilting his head, he caught sight of Lydia.

"Babe! I knew you'd call me sooner or later - couldn't get enough of the B-guy, right?" He chuckled, and glanced at Dr. Burton. "Chicks dig me. Especially the wife!"

"The... wife..."

"Whoa, dude, you look a little green, there. Like you've seen a ghost maybe, eh?" Betelgeuse tipped his head back and laughed. "Well, you called me, so what's your deal? You need somebody killed?"

"What? No!"

Instantly the ghost's good mood seemed to vanish. "Look, pal," he said seriously, "I'm a very busy dead guy. So when somebody calls me, they'd better have a reason."

"He didn't believe you were real," said Lydia, softly. "Look around. I'm in a mental hospital because people keep insisting I made you up."

"You're what?" For the first time, the specter began to take in his surroundings. "Well, shit. Now I'm angry. Nobody locks up the little woman..." He looked at her. "Unless you wanna stay here?"

"N-no..."

"You want me to get you out?"

"What's the price?"

He smirked. "You hold up your end of our last agreement and I'll call this a freebie."

* * *

_From the notes of Dr. Baldwin, assistant head of psychiatry, Winter River Institution._

Dr. Burton is starting to turn a corner. Occasionally he still shakes and looks at corners with obvious fear. No one understands what's happened to him. Patient LD has vanished, and it's beginning to look like he may have been at fault, but he's in no condition to stand trial. Most likely he'll be found not guilty by reason of insanity.

I wanted a promotion, but not like this.

Sometimes, though, I wonder. Every so often I could swear I hear something. It sounds like two people laughing, and one of them sounds like LD, but if I stop what I'm doing to listen closely it stops. It must be my imagination; perhaps I've been here too long. I hope the poor girl is resting in peace.


End file.
